Culture News from Wired News – Credit Warning E-Mail Is Bogus.
There's a lot of useful information for consumers on the Internet. There's also a lot of misinformation.
Take the case of an e-mail that's been cascading across the nation with a “warning” that credit bureaus starting July 1 will be releasing consumers' personal information “to anyone who requests it” unless consumers call a toll free number and opt out.
It's not true. But worried consumers have kept the phones lit up at consumer advocacy groups and trade associations. The e-mail has been so widely circulated that even the Federal Trade Commission has issued a “consumer alert” to try to set the record straight.